Parents, when naming their baby, not only carefully study the characteristics and meaning of the name, but also try to familiarize themselves with the lives of the saints who will be the child’s patrons throughout life. It will be useful for them to know which name days are celebrated in May. Female names by church calendar presented in our article. It also tells in detail about the lives of saints who are especially revered by the Orthodox Church.
Orthodox women's name days in May
When naming their child, parents often look at the Orthodox calendar. By turning to a church source, it is easy to find out which name days are celebrated in May or in other months of the year. When naming their daughter, parents can choose the name of the patron saint whose memorial day is celebrated on this date. For example, if a girl was born on May 10, then she should be named Anastasia or Maria. You can also choose a name that follows your birthday. This is done if the May (women's) name day is not celebrated on a specific date.
Orthodox calendars contain names both rare and common. When choosing them, you should pay attention to this fact so that the child feels confident in the future.
Name day in May from 1st to 10th
In the first ten days of May, many women's name days are celebrated. What can you choose for a girl? Among the names there are ancient ones that are extremely rare today. The most popular today are Anastasia, Maria, Elizabeth.
Name days in May (women's) from the 1st to the 10th are celebrated by all girls who bear the following names:
- 1 - Tamara;
- 2 - Matrona;
- 3 - Philippi;
- 5 - Alexandra, Sofia;
- 7 - Elizabeth;
- 8 - Ivanna, Magdalena, Maria, Martha, Nika, Salome, Tamara;
- 9 - Glafira;
- 10 - Maria, Anastasia.
In May, on the 4th and 6th, there is no holiday. Women's name days are not celebrated according to the Christian church calendar.
The Russian Orthodox Church especially reveres Saint Matrona of Moscow, whose feast day falls on May 2. She was born in 1881 into a large peasant family in one of the villages Tula province. From birth the saint was blind, without eyeballs. Matrona’s gift of healing manifested itself already at the age of eight, and then she began to predict the future.
During her childhood and adolescence, Matrona traveled a lot with the daughter of a local landowner. The saint visited Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, in different cities and shrines of Russia. After the revolution, Matrona moved to Moscow, where she lived with distant relatives, friends and acquaintances. Until her death, she received people, healed them and gave advice on what to do in this or that case. At night, Saint Matrona prayed fervently. According to one version, even Stalin himself came to Matrona for advice.
In 1952, on May 2, Saint Matrona died, having predicted this event 3 days before her death.
Women's name days from May 11 to 20
Many women’s name days are celebrated in the second ten days of May. These days the church honors the memory of the saints who bore these names. What might be right for today's newborns?
Name days in May from the 11th to the 20th are celebrated by the owners of the following female names:
- 11- Anna;
- 14 - Tamara, Nina;
- 15 - Zoya;
- 16 - Ulyana, Yulianna;
- 17 - Pelageya;
- 18 - Irina.
In May, there is no holiday on the 12th, 13th, 19th and 20th. Orthodox women's name days are not celebrated.
Queen Tamara of Georgia, who is canonized in Orthodoxy, made a special contribution to the development of Christianity. She was the daughter of the Georgian king George III and left behind a significant mark on history. During Tamara’s lifetime, a large number of monasteries and temples were built, and Christianity spread throughout almost the entire territory of Georgia. Thanks to the reign of the queen, the Georgian state expanded and strengthened.
Women's name days in May (third decade)
In the last 10 days of May, Orthodoxy honors the memory of saints who accepted the death of martyrs for their faith and beliefs.
Women's name days in May, in the last ten days (from the 21st to the 31st), are celebrated by the owners of the following names:
- 23 -Taisia, Isidora;
- 25 - Evdokia;
- 26 - Irina, Glykeria;
- 28 - Anastasia;
- 29 - Muse;
- 30 - Evdokia, Euphrosyne;
- 31 - Matrona, Faina, Christina, Julia, Alexandra, Claudia.
There is no holiday from the 21st to the 22nd, as well as on the 24th and 27th of May. Women's name days are not celebrated.
The last day of May is very important. 31st The Orthodox Church venerates the seven holy virgins - Te-ku-sa, Alexandra, Fa-i-na, Euphrasia, Claudia, Mat-ro-na, Julia. From a young age, women devoted themselves to the Lord, adhered to abstinence, fasting, prayed tirelessly and lived until old age. During the reign of the ruler Diocletian, terrible persecutions were carried out against Christians, who, due to their refusal to accept paganism, were subjected to cruel torture and execution. After refusal, renounce Christian faith, the women were drowned in the lake. The holy virgins were buried by the martyr Theodotus, whose memorial day is also celebrated on May 31.
The child's name given to him at birth will influence his entire future life. It’s not for nothing that there are happy and unlucky names in history; they are associated with certain events, natural phenomena, religious holidays etc. It is believed that it is impossible to give the name of a deceased child to a newly born one, since he will be unhappy, having taken upon himself all the misfortunes of his deceased brother.
Where to look for a name for a girl
When Christianity was introduced in Rus', and people began to plan their lives according to the Orthodox calendar, children began to be named in honor of Orthodox saints. It is quite rightly believed that by receiving the name of a saint, a person receives both a close spiritual connection and the patronage of this saint. He may even receive the power and grace of a holy man. Therefore, when choosing names for children, you should think carefully, because you are also choosing a caring guardian angel and spiritual patron for him for life.
Orthodox Mesyatslov will help you choose a name by date of birth IN Orthodox calendar there are many more male names than female ones. But several male names have analogues in the feminine gender.
Every day of the year preserves the memory of some canonized saint; some days can boast of a dozen birthday people. In addition, the names of some saints are repeated several times in the Orthodox calendar, and therefore the names are suitable for children born at different times of the year.
Church calendar or Monthly calendar
Many modern parents turn to the Monthly Book or Saints. The church calendar can provide invaluable assistance in this, since it contains Orthodox, Old Slavonic, Hebrew and Greek names, the most of different origins. Some names are anachronisms today, they have long gone out of use, and cause a slight smile when they are mentioned. But many names are in great demand today.
Orthodox calendar for 2016 Of course, almost all parents want to choose rare and unusual name, and the Saints can help them choose a name by month.
Choosing an Orthodox name for a girl
Parents are especially careful when choosing names for girls. I want it to beautiful name emphasized her tenderness, grace and elegance.
Women's names always have some sacred magical meaning. Their meaning is intended to bestow tenderness or strength, wisdom or patience, fertility or love. For example, everyone knows female names— Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia (Wisdom) personify the main Christian virtues. Women's names also praised some character traits necessary for a future housewife - hard work, patience and determination, humility and complaisance.
The Orthodox name is given at baptism But, be that as it may, you should choose a name with all responsibility, think about its sound and compliance with the patronymic and surname. And also pay attention to the time of year in which the child was born.
It is well known that in different times Every year, children (especially girls) are born with completely opposite characters. Women's names are designed not only to emphasize the individuality of the owner, but also to help in life.
The relationship between name and season
During the winter period, children are born who are hardy and have good health, hard and tough. They have a stern, unyielding character that helps them achieve their plans. But this character often harms them in their personal lives. Firmness and inflexibility interfere with trusting relationships with loved ones. Children born in winter usually do not tolerate interference in their affairs and do not listen to anyone's advice. They are self-confident, active, purposeful and go straight towards their intended goal.
Choosing a name for a girl in winter Girls born in winter have a purely masculine character, which helps them achieve success in their careers and business, but prevents them from organizing their personal lives. Therefore, a woman’s name should be gentle, melodic, softening the harsh winter cold.
Spring is a capricious, changeable time of year. And girls in the spring are born capricious, selfish, squeamish, and physically weak. They are conservative and find it difficult to adapt to change. But if they think they are right, then nothing will convince them. They are very stubborn, proud, indecisive and cautious, love flattery and have a certain narcissism. It is not easy for a girl born in spring to find a husband because she is frightened by any changes in her lifestyle.
What name to choose for a girl in spring And at the same time, “spring” children know how to adapt to any life situations. Therefore, a woman’s name should be firm and tough.
In summer, generous, cheerful and optimistic children are born. They do not waste time on trifles, do not be greedy, and at the same time are extremely hardworking and diligent. Summer children are emotional, quick-tempered, temperamental, and impressionable. Among other things, they are the kindest and fairest people.
What names are suitable for girls born in summer? Girls born in summer are proud and brave, persistent and purposeful. They will passionately love their husband and carefully take care of their children. Therefore, neutral names are best suited for them, designed to slightly restrain their noble nature.
Autumn is a time of reflection. And children born in autumn are characterized by such character traits as wisdom, leisureliness, prudence and accuracy. Such a child will never act at random; he will carefully weigh the pros and cons, but will act diplomatically, without offending anyone. Loyalty and submission will help them find happiness in marriage.
What to name a girl in the fall Girls born in autumn are calm and thoughtful, balanced, and in any situation they are guided, first of all, by common sense. These girls should be given names filled with sacred meaning.
That is, when choosing a girl’s name, you must consider it month by month in order to help shape a woman’s destiny.
Names for girls born in January
January is the harshest month of the year. A girl named one of these names will spend her entire life in happiness and prosperity without any problems or obstacles, and will achieve her goals without putting in too much work. It will come out good wife and mother and all her life she will be happily married.
Icon of Saint Tatiana CLAUDIA, AGLAYA, AGAFYA, IRAIDA, ANISYA, TATYANA, APPOLINARY.
Names for girls born in February
Very often these women do not have an attractive appearance. But they have an excellent character: active, sociable, cheerful and hardworking. They extremely love to dress up, change their appearance, keep up with fashion and spend a lot of money on it. They are not attracted to a calm and measured life; they need constant communication, fun and music. In most cases, these women marry several times, and usually the second marriage is successful.
Name Maria for a girl RIMMA, CAROLINA, KRISTINA, CHRISTIANA, INNA, EMMA, MARIA, ANNA, PAVLA.
Names for girls born in March
These girls and women are envious and extremely curious. They are rarely lucky in their married life, but people with a high position in society who have achieved success also marry them. In the family, the woman will play the main role.
The name Marianna - meaning REGINA, RUFINA, MARGARETA, ANTONINA, ULYANA, VASILISA, KIRA, VALERIYA, NIKA, MARIANNA, DOMNA, AGAFYA.
Names for girls born in April
A woman who lives in love and for love. Very often she marries a jealous man, but can establish a wonderful relationship with him. Sometimes in old age she changes for the worse: she becomes a malicious gossip, embittered at the entire world around her.
Name Daria - meaning ALEXANDRINA, DARIA, PRASKOVYA, PELAGIA, SVETLANA, THEODOSIA, LYDIA, LYUDMILA, SUZANNA, SUZANNA, MATRONA.
Names for girls born in May
This woman will passionately adore her husband all her life. Although she has intelligence, beauty, and education, she talks too much, and inappropriately. People often envy her, so they can harm her, especially in matters of the heart.
The meaning of the name Elizabeth ELIZAVETA, GLAFIRA, ZOYA, PELAGEIA, EVDOKIA, EUFROSYNE, MUSE, LUKERIA, GLICERIA, FAINA, NAINA, JULIA, YULIANNA, TAMARA.
Names for girls born in June
This is an emotional woman, surrounded by friends and fans. But because of his temper, he often conflicts with others and quickly breaks off relationships.
The meaning of the name Elena ELENA, THEODOSIA, THEODORA, CAROLINA, ADELAIDE, IDA, ADA, AKULINA, THEKLA, KALERIYA, ALEVTINA.
Names for girls born in July
For this woman, love is a game. This is a passionate and temperamental nature, ardent and tender at the same time. Men like her, and she herself likes to flirt. Bright and beautiful, she is in a whirlpool of relationships, love and fun.
The name Olga 0 is one of the most popular AGRIPPINA, IRINA, SARAH, RUTH, OLGA, RIMMA, ELLA, YULIANNA, SOSIPATRA.
Names for girls born in August
This woman is generous and patient, impartial and self-possessed. Her kind and sympathetic character attracts everyone around her. It’s not easy for her to choose a husband because of the large number of fans. But if her first marriage breaks up, she will become distrustful and cautious.
Name Ekaterina - meaning MAGDALENE, EKATERINE, MILENA, ZABAVA, CHRISTINA, PRASKOVYA, SERAPHIM, NONNA.
Names for girls born in September
A very optimistic and cheerful person. Even troubles and disappointments will not diminish her optimism. She is flirtatious and sociable, and over time she becomes the most devoted mother.
Icon of Saint Sophia VASSA, ANFISA, ANITA, MARFA, RUFINA, LYUDMILA, VERA, NADEZhDA, LOVE, SOFIA.
Names for girls born in October
This is a woman with the happiest character and the happiest destiny. She will live happily married to loving husband and children for a long life.
About the name Veronica EUPHROSYNE, CONCORDIA, SOSIPATRA, VERONICA, IRAIDA, PELAGEIA, TAISIA, EULAMPIA, IONA.
Names for girls born in November
This woman will spend her whole life quarreling with her husband because of her love for clothes and the company of strangers. A playful lifestyle is the norm for her.
Icon of Saint Claudius GLYKERYA, GLYKERYA, LUKERYA, KAPITOLINA, PRASKOVYA, ELENA, NELLY, KLAUDIA.
Names for girls born in December
This woman has an attractive appearance and an open, noble character. Doesn't like to submit to someone else's will and be subordinate.
A singer named Varvara AUGUSTA, VARVARA, TATYANA, TATIANA, ANFISA, LARISA, MARINA, ZOYA, ZINOVEYA.
How and who should name a child? There is no consensus on this issue. Let's talk about Orthodox tradition naming.
For a believer, the question of a name has always been of great importance. It was believed that through a name, not only character traits, but also destiny are transmitted to a person. The names of such heroes of faith as Isaac, Jacob and Abraham were very common in early Christianity. By giving the baby such a name, the parents wanted to make him involved in the holiness and glory that his original owner had.
In Rus', along with the adoption of Orthodoxy, a tradition arose of giving names in honor of saints. What is the meaning of tradition? From the point of view of Christianity, a person who bears the name of a saint has a close connection with him. The saint, who has proven his faith and devotion to God with his whole life or martyrdom, now from heaven helps a person in his difficult time. life path, drives away demons, in general, patronizes him.
With the name of the saint, a part of holiness and strength seemed to be transferred to the baby. Saint's name ( church name) for the child was chosen by the parents from the calendar and given by the clergyman at baptism.
The Saints (or church calendar) is a list of saints, distributed by month and date (see below). Each date in such a calendar is religious holiday- the day of remembrance of the corresponding saint (which usually falls on the day of the saint’s death). During centuries-old history Throughout their existence, the calendar was constantly replenished with new names. Now the Church celebrates the memory of some saint almost every day.
Today, as before, in Christian families Children are not named by random names - the child is given a name mainly in honor of canonized saints. Usually the name is chosen according to the calendar or in honor of a specific saint revered in a given family, emphasizing one’s special attitude towards him. On the day of remembrance of his saint, a person celebrates his name day (See. name day calendar).
The modern church calendar contains more than 1,100 completely different names. A significant part of the names in the calendar are of Slavic, Greek and Hebrew origin; there are names that arose due to the Latin language group. Among them there are many that not only have not lost their vitality, but are also becoming more and more popular. It is safe to say that the church calendar is an inexhaustible source of names with enormous internal energy.
Church calendar (saints) by month
January
Learn about the meaning and characteristics of names
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For many expectant mothers and fathers, choosing a name for a child becomes a real problem: after all, so many nuances need to be taken into account so that the future daughter has not only a beautiful and sonorous name, but also one that would correspond to the details and circumstances of the child’s birth, have positive influence on his character and fate, and so on. In our articles, we decided to help those who are expecting a new addition to the family in 2019 and talk in detail about what names will be in fashion in the coming year and we will list for you recommended names for girls by month.
So, what will children born in 2019 be like? This is the question future parents should ask themselves first when choosing a name for their child. There is a widespread belief that a name can have a fairly noticeable impact on the character of the person who bears it. A name can enhance certain personality traits, reveal certain predispositions, or, conversely, hide and soften other personality traits.
According to astrologers, children born in the year Yellow Pig(Boar) will be very brave and courageous, not giving in to difficulties and adversity.
These children prefer quiet activities that require attention and concentration to noisy games. Therefore, they will love to learn and be creative.
However, children born in the year of the Yellow Pig have a noticeable drawback - they will rarely finish what they start, quickly losing interest in what they are doing.
What to name a girl in 2019
If you want to help your child develop more of his innate creativity, but at the same time prevent him from becoming too eccentric, we recommend that you choose names that will balance these two character traits of your future child.
If you want your child to be more practical, down-to-earth and to achieve success in more “material” areas of activity, then
How to name a girl in 2019 “according to the season”
No less widespread is the opinion that the baby’s character is influenced not only by the year, but also by the time of birth. For example, children born in winter differ from “summer”, “spring” and “autumn” children by a more severe and tough character, strong will and inflexibility, therefore it is recommended to give “winter” children melodious and gentle names that would soften their hardness their characters. Spring children, as a rule, are gentle, sensitive and often too soft. In order to add firmness of character, it is customary to give those born in spring more sonorous and strong names. Summer children have a truly explosive character, they are restless and very emotional. Experts recommend giving summer children simple and concise names. Autumn children are dreamers, creative people, often suffering from self-doubt. Those born in autumn are advised to give beautiful but firm names that would add a strong-willed core to their character.
Here are a few examples of what name you can choose for a newborn girl, depending on the time of year:
- winter - Nastya, Inna, Olya, Veronica, Marina, Anya, Polina;
- spring - Eva, Lydia, Dasha, Toma, Ira, Lisa, Sofia, Alla, Maria;
- summer - Nonna, Lena, Arina, Sveta, Kira, Christina, Juliana;
- autumn – Vera, Natalya, Raisa, Luda, Ariadna, Zlata, Nellie...
How to name a girl in 2019: patriotic names
In the wake of rising patriotic sentiments and a revival of interest in the history of their people, many young parents give preference to native Russian and biblical names when choosing a name for their child. Thus, in 2019 the girl can be called Martha, Seraphima, Vasilisa, Susanna, Euphrosyne, Evdokia, Antonina, Matryona, Praskovya, Pelageya, Evlampia or Zinovia.
Here are some of the most popular options for Orthodox names for girls, which we selected from Church calendar for 2019:
How to name a girl in 2019: names by month
January
Julia, Anastasia, Antonina, Augusta, Agrippina, Julianna, Anfisa, Melania, Evgenia, Polina, Tatyana, Vasilisa, Alena, Elena, Neonilla, Feodosia, Agnia, Evgenia, Irina.
February
Feodosia, Agnia, Anna, Inna, Rimma, Militsa, Ekaterina, Evdokia, Alexandra, Vasilisa, Agatha, Fedora, Maria, Vera, Svetlana, Christina, Martha, Marfa, Dora, Alevtina, Galina.
March
Marianna, Pulcheria, Maria, Anna, Olga, Varvara, Irina, Praskovya, Kira, Marina, Alexandra, Antonina, Evdokia, Martha, Marfa, Juliana, Galina, Iraida, Elena, Ekaterina, Evgenia, Natalya, Nadezhda, Oksana, Nika, Fedora, Anastasia.
April
Daria, Matrona, Vassa, Sofia, Svetlana, Ulyana, Claudia, Polina, Taisiya, Vasilisa, Anastasia, Anna, Larisa, Alla, Anna, Praskovya, Maria, Evdokia, Marfa, Juliana, Irina, Nika, Arina.
May
Tamara, Fedora, Matrona, Valeria, Elizaveta, Elsa, Alexandrya, Anna, Tamara, Zhanna, Zoya, Ionna, Martha, Ulyana, Yana, Tamara, Yuli, Pelageya, Isidora, Glikeria, Irina, Anastasia, Lilia.
June
Sofia, Elena, Susanna, lily, Elena, Vera, Christina, Fedora, Maria, Martha, Ulyana, Zinaida, Kaleria, Melania, Fekla, Marianna, Antonina, Alexandra, Anna.
July
Rimma, Inna, Agripina, Angela, Angelina, Alexandra, Maria, Marfa, Agnia, Lucia, Alena, Veronica, Olga, Elena, Matrona, Margarita, Marina, Julia, Juliana, Ulyana, Elizabeth, Libya, Fevronia, Yana, Dinara, Tatiana, Varvara, Elsa.
August
Militsa, Efrosinia, Evgenia, Anna, Christina, Maria, Olipmia, Praskovya, Iraida, Anfisa, Anastasia, Arina, Elena, Alena, Lucia, Angela, Serafima, Angelina, Sofia, Daria, Iya, Evdokia, Maria, Susanna, Lilia, Eva, Ulyana, Yuliana, Yulia.
September
Fedora, Ariadna, Martha, Vassa, Thekla, Martha, Maria, Anna, Susanna, Lilia, Natalya, Tatyana, Elizabeth, Anfisa, Regina, Elsa, Oksana, Serafima, Rufina, Vasilisa, Domna, Lena, Raisa, Pulcheria, Lyudmila, Faith, Love, Lucia, Sofia, Nadezhda.
October
Sofia, Efrosinya, Arina, Ariadna, Irina, Vassa, Praskovya, Thekla, Raisa, Tatyana, Maria, Dosifeya, Alexandra, Marianna, Polina, Ustinya, Vera, Nana, Veronica, Pelageya, Nadezhda, Taisiya, Zinaida, Chrysa, Zlata.
November
Elizaveta, Elsa, Matrona, Irina, Aza, Arina, Glikeria, Euphrosyne, Capitolina, Anna, Neonilla, Fevronia, Praskovya, Agatha, Anastasia, Maria, Zinaida, Elena, Ulyana, Yulia, Yulina, Olga, Stefania, Domna, Agripina, Fedora, Marfa.
December
Thekla, Anna, Tatyana, Cicily, Augusta, Ekaterina, Praskovya, Antonina, Margarita, Maria, Vera, Fevronia, Tamara, Glikeria, Anastasia, Varvara, Kira, Julia, Anfisa, Juliana, Alexandra, Angela, Angelina, Evdokia, Matryona, Lucia, Susanna, Lilia, Sofia, Zoya, Elsa.
How to name a girl in 2019: fashionable modern names
When choosing a name for your child, remember that an unusual, modern and fashionable name will help your child stand out, attract the attention of others, and be more noticeable.
For those expectant mothers and fathers who dream that their future child will have a fashionable, modern and rare name, we offer the following options:
- a girl can be given such a rare and unique name as Beatrice, Ada, Aida, Bertha, Aurelia, Lolita, Milana, Emma.
- You can also think about these options. suitable for 2019 as Jadwiga, Teresa, Ustina, Edita, Tomila, Renata, Rosemary, Nora and Marietta.
Our ancestors did not have such a problem as choosing a name for a newborn. Today, in some families, this is reaching the point of scandal, since dad wants to name his son Jordan, mom wants to name him Apollo, and grandparents dream of Vanechka. But in the old days everything was decided by the church orthodox book, which was called “Saints”. Parents came to church, and the priest offered a choice of several names of Christian saints, whose memory was honored on the baby’s birthday. And if now parents want to make a choice in this particular way - how to choose a name for a child according to the calendar?
How to choose the right name according to the calendar?
Birthday, Angel's Day, name day... Many people confuse these concepts and congratulate them on their birthday. In fact, a birthday is the day on which a person was born, and a name day is the day of remembrance of the saint after whom he was named. The second name for name day is the day of the Angel or the day of the namesake. Previously, these days coincided for almost everyone, but now they practically do not. Despite this, some people began to celebrate Angel Day on the same basis as their birthday.
The Saints contain about 1,700 different names. Most of them are for men, and they have largely fallen out of use. This is not surprising, because many names for modern people seem funny, for example, Popius, Mnasen, Kurduva or Yazdundokta.
If you decide to name your newborn according to the calendar, remember the following:
- It is best to choose the name for the baby of the saint who is honored on his birthday. For example, your child was born on February 1st. You are truly lucky, since according to the calendar, the newborn can be called by the following names: Arseny, Gregory, Henry, Louise, Euphrasia, Mark, Makar, Meletius, Savva, Theodosius, Feodor or Januarius.
- If you have a boy, and on this day there are no names for a male representative, then the modern church usually advises looking at a few days ahead. You can do the same if you don’t like the proposed name (or names) at all.
- The baptismal name is given once in a lifetime and does not change again (with the exception of the name changing upon tonsure as a monk and when changing faith).
- IN Lately Some parents give their children double names: one is secular, and the other is ecclesiastical. Some people do this on purpose, while others do it by accident - they simply don’t give the baby a chance at birth. Orthodox name, and in church parents learn that a child cannot be baptized under the name, for example, Stella or Camilla. In this case, the priest invites parents to choose an Orthodox name for the baby - close or consonant with the “passport name”.
- If the saint in whose honor you named your baby is venerated several times a year, then the Angel’s day is the next name day after the day birth.
From antiquity to the present day
The Orthodox book “Saints” is nothing more than a complete list of all the names of the saints whom it honors Orthodox Church. The second name of this book is “The Book of Months”, since it describes the whole year, day by day, month by month.
Giving a child a name according to the calendar is ancient tradition many peoples. The Slavs were no exception to this. People believed that when a baby receives the name of a saint who is venerated on the day of his birth or baptism, he will have a happy and long life. At the same time, it was not advisable to name a child after the great martyr - then he would be destined for a hard life, full of hardships and suffering.
If several saints were commemorated on a child’s birthday, then the parents could choose a name from several suggested by the priest. If there was only one name, then, alas, the parents had no choice. People did not dare to contradict the church. Later, if no saint was commemorated on the new person’s birthday, or they really didn’t like the name, then parents began to “increase” the list of names: they could consider the names of saints whose memory is celebrated on the eighth or fortieth day after the birth of the child. The fact is that our ancestors believed that a newborn should be given a name no earlier than the eighth day, and the sacrament of Baptism had to be carried out precisely on the fortieth day.
“Mesyatseslov” was used until the 1917 revolution. With coming Soviet power, when churches began to be massively destroyed and religion began to be banned, the tradition of naming children according to the calendar was abandoned. Nowadays, parents have begun to turn much more often to the Orthodox calendar to choose a name for their child. Many believe that it will make the baby happy, and the saint after whom it was named will become an intercessor and guardian angel for the child. And some parents simply follow modern fashion, because today an old or unusual name is “the last word.” So in kindergartens and schools we meet children with the names Luka and Akulina, Spiridon and Evdokia, Hilarion and Pelagia.
Calendar of names according to the calendar for each month
Name day in January
Names in February
Names in March
Names in April
Names in May
Names in June
Cancer
